Fire hose nozzle



' Sept'. 20, 1938. K ROSENBAUER 2,130,745

FIRE HOSE NOZZLE 'Filed sept. 19, 1934 www Patented Sept; 20, 1938l 'A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Austr Application September 19, 1934, Serial No. '144,683 In Austria September 22, 1933 9 claims. (ci. isa-1s) 'I his invention relates to new `and improved means in conjunction withre-hose nozzles for the selective and controlledyarying of the shape,

- size; and composition of the jet thrown. As re- Eardsv variation of the composition of the jet, the invention provides more particularly for changing over from a water jet to a froth jet produced with the aid of saponin solutions or other frothing agents, and vice-versa.

It is already known tov produce froth jets for fire-extinguislutng purposes by injecting more or` less sub-divided water 'jets into the flared rear end of Aa, funnel open at both ends into which a saponin solution or other suitable frothing agent is introduced either with the waterof the jets or through a separate supply pipe. The injector effect set up by the entering jets ofwater causes air to be drawn in through the-fiared rear end of y the funnel, and the resulting mixture of water, saponin and air in the funnel forms a froth which is thrown from the narrower orifice at the foi-, Ward vend of the funnel in the form of a froth jet. In accordance with thepresent invention, the air intake funnel is detachably mounted on the nozzle from which-the water and saponin solution is thrown. When a. water jtonly 'isrequired, the air intake funnel is detached or hinged back out of the way, and the saponin supply cut off,- so that a jet consisting solely of water Iis thrown. To obtain a froth jet it is then merely necessary to replace the funnel/and turn on the saponin supply.

The poss1bility of producing both water jets and froth jets with'one and the same device is of greatvadvantage in fire-extinguishing operations. A fireman, when going into action with fire-.hose and nozzle in4 a burning building, cannot know f with certainty in advance what kind of jets he will need to use in combatting different parts of 40 the fire to obtain the best results obtainable under the circumstancesN met with. If he is only equipped, with froth jet apparatus, and finds, on approaching the seat of the re that water jets would be more effective it might become a serious `matter if he were obliged to interrupt operations, and fetch and assemble the necessary fittings in orderA to obtain the required `water jets. Similarly, it is an equally serious hindrance when a fireman has to replace a wat'er jet nozzle by a froth jet nozzle, when circumstances, such as burning petrol or oil, are met with requiring the use of froth'jets. By providing means for adapting the nozzle for throwing water or froth jets, as re-l quired, without considerable interruption of operation, the present invention solves satisfactorily as to be detachable or capable of being folded the problem of dealing with such' contingencies with a minimum of troubleand loss.

` @s above mentioned, it is necessary for the production of froth j ets to introduce :the water and the .frothing agent into the air intake funnel in a vl5 divided state, so that the in-drawn air .can become 'more rapidly and intimately intermixed with the liquids.

For -this purposel it has hitherto been usual to introduce at least a part ofthe water and `of the saponin solution through fa plurality of 10 vnozzles provided in the wall of the funnel itself.

In this case the funnel-is-connected up to supply pipes which render it perfectly impossible to mount the funnel on the nozzle in such a manner back out of the way. It has, it is true, been proposed, but only in the case` of Qfroth-producing devices not attached to the end of the hose but intended to supply. froth to the hose, to introduce both water and saponin solution through a mouthpiece locatedin the air `intake funnel V through which these liquids are sprayed in a iinely,divided or atomized state into the funnel, but the constructional problems are very different from those involved in the provision of an adaptable all-pur- A 25 pose nozzle device of the `nature provided by the present invention;

In accordance with this invention the nozzle proper is so constructed thatY the water and saponin solution can be introduced into the funnel tube in a suitable form, for instance in the form of a multiplicity of fine jets. AAt the same time the nozzle according to the invention is designed to permit ofa very wide range of variation in the size and shape of the water jet thrown there-- from when the froth-producing attachment is out of action, and alsovto permit of complete .cutting off ofthe jet. The possibility of cutting. of! the jetat-the nozzle is a feature which is desirable in any case, but it is essential in the device according -40 to the present invention to permit of the fitting on or hinging into the operative position, of the froth-producing attachment, and it is particularly advantageous to arrange for the'cuttin'g off of the water jet to be effected at the nozzle. 4J

There already exist adjustable nozzles which permit of shutting oif the water supply land also admit of variation of the shape of the water jet issuing therefrom, so that it is possible with one and the same nozzle to produce full-bore jets, iinely'divided jets, and fan jets. VAnadju'stable nozzle of this naturehas not, however, as yet been combined with an air intake funnel for the production of froth jets, nor consequently with a detachable air intake funnel. It is only however by the combination of a .regulable nozzle with a detachable air intake funnel that the abovementioned advantages of. the device according to the present invention are obtained to the full extent, since a universal appliance for rire-extinguishing work is thereby provided which isl capable of producing all the variations of jet required for this purpose.

adjustablenozzle will (be set to supply a finely divided or a thin full jet, and on removal of the supply at the nozzle, with a View to resuming extinguishing with Water alone, the jet of water can be varied both as to shape and size in anv expeditious and simple manner.

, The invention will now beA described in detail, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which: P, Y

Fig. 1 shows a device in accordance with the invention comprising a nozzle mouthpiece and an air intake funnel tube fitted thereto, the mouthpiece and the portions of the air intake funnel closely associated therewith being shown in section, and the remainder ofthe air intake funnel in elevation.

Fig. 2 shows a modied `form of the same device, in section.

Fig. 3 shows the complete device in accordance with the invention, in elevation, on a reduced' scale.

In the exampleshown of a device according to the present invention the nozzle mouthpiece comprises a nozzle tube I mountedon a supply pipe (not shown) for water under pressure. Onthe free end of the said nozzle tube there" is fixed. in

any convenient manner a sleeve 38 having a cross-section approximately the shape of an inverted U and being provided with an annular inwardly turned flange terminating in an edge 43, bounding the outlet oriice of the tube. In the axes of the nozzle atube I' there is arranged a regulating needle consisting of a stem`-3 with a conical end portion d2 and an adjoining peripheral groove 46 and of a bulbous member 44, which is adjustable by moving it along the stem. This movement of the bulbous member may be attained by means of a lever 24 which is operatively engaging the said bulbous member and adapted `to be pivoted with the aid of a square sectioned pin 25 and a hand wheel 25a operable from the outside.)`

The stem 35i is provided with a longitudinal passage 31 which is connected to a saponin sup ply 31a in any suitable manner. On to the outside of the sleeve 38 there is fitted a ring 39 which carries, by means of webs 40, the funnelshaped air intake tube il which is tapered in the direction of the iiow of the jet, and open at both ends.

The ring 33 is xed in position, for` instance, by means of a pin- 8i) which is retained by a spring ti in engagement with a notch 32 in the outside wall of the nozzle tube, and which permits of the withdrawal of the ring when disengaged from the-notch against the action of the spring by means of the knob 83.

To produce a froth jet, the conical portion d2 of the regulating needle should be so positioned relatively to the bounding edge 43 of the sleeve 38 that a spray jet issues from the orifice of the mouthpiece of the nozzle. The amount .of water in the jet can at the same time be controlled, as

required, by the adjustment of the bulbous por-- tion 44 of the regulating needle. Air is sucked When the lifunnel is in y. the operative position to produce froth jets, the' injection action set up by the entering jet, and if at the same time a saponin solution or the like be introduced into the tube 4i through the pasj sage 31 in the regulating needle by means of the supply'pipe 31a, this solution becomes intermixed with the spray jet and the air to form a frothy mixture which is ejected fromthe forward end of the funnel at a velocity increased by the taper of the latter. It is also possible to utilize the suction set up by the injector effect of the spray .jet entering the air intake funnel to draw the saponin' solution at the required rate from the forward end of the passage 31.

Thefair intake funnel 4l, as already mentioned,

is so attached to the mouthpiece of" the nozzle l that it can readilyI and quickly be detached or foldedv back out of the path of the jet thrown when it is not required for use. For the purpose of changing .over from a froth jet to a water jet, it is sufcient to momentarily shut off the ,water supply by moving the bulbous `portion 44 of the regulating needle up until it meets the bounding edge 43 and thereby reaches the obturating position, and to interrupt the supply of the frothing agent, after whichthe'funnel 4l can be detached or hinged out of the way. '.Ihe size andshape of the water jet can then be set to suit the requirements of the moment, by a suitable setting of the movable parts of the nozzle;- The transition to work with a froth jet can be equally expeditiously effected by the performance of the operations detailed above, in the reversed order. The possibility of rapidly fitting and detaching the air intake funnel, or bringing the same into and out of the operative position, is due not only to the provision of suitable means for effecting attachment and detachment, which can be constructed in a great variety of ways, but more particularly to the fact that the range of jet variation provided by the nozzle mouthpiece in ac-` It will thus be clear that" all the features ol.

the invention are interdependent, and contribute to the attainment of the same result, namely of providing means for varying the composition, size, and shape of jets for fire-extinguishing purposes, with a minimum of interruption in working, to suit varying requirements. It will also be clear that the constructive possibilities are by no means exhausted by the examples shown and described, and that any type of regulable nozzleor mouthpiece capable of producing jets of the required nature could be used in conjunction with a detachable or hinged air int'ake funnel to realize the principle of the invention.

The breaking up or atomizing of the jet required for the production of a froth jet need not necessarily be eiected by means of the mouthpiece itself, but can also be effected by a particular construction of the air intakefunnel, for example by the provision of a conicalV baffle as shown in Fig. 2. For this purpose an ordinary 49, and that in such a. manner that its pointed end is towards the orice of the mouthpiece when the funnel is positioned for use. Watercontainin'g saponin is then supplied to' the mouthpiece v 41 which delivers a. full-bore jet which is broken up by the baille 49. As before, the 'jet effects the suction of air into the funnel and, consequent Vsince in this case a froth jet can be obtained with the nozzle set for a full-bore jet, and it becomes unnecessary to provide the required' spray 'jet by accurate setting oi the mouthpiece.

, Both the regulable, mouthpiece, and the manner of mounting or attaching the air funnel thereon can be modified constructionally as cornpared with the example shown and described, without departing from `the scope and spirit of the invention.

A form of constructionin which the air funnel is articulated tothe mouthpiece and adapted to.

be hinged aside out of the path of the jet, or laid back out ofthe way, instead of being completely detachable, is shown in Fig. .3. The mouthpiece is substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 1 and the funnel-shaped air intake tube 4IV tu that also shown in Fig. 1. A carrying web 4U pertaining to this air intake funnel is in the present case provided with a hinge-like joint 10, while theremaining carrying webs are so divided that the funnel can be hinged and folded back about the pivot axis.A To prevent unintentional hinging, there is provided, opposite" the hinge point, any suitable type of locking or fastening device, such as for example a hasp with a cross pin 1|, adapted tointerlock the parts of. the carrying web.

In the event of thejet being broken up or atomized, forthe production of froth jets, by means of baiiles provided in the funnel tube itself, the bailies used may also be differently shaped from that shown in Fig. 2.

I claim:

I. A device for selective and controlled varying of the shape size and composition of the jet `thrown from a fire-hose, comprising in combination a nozzle mo piece, a water supply for the nozzle mouthpiec a supply for adding a frothing agent to the water, meansy for bringing the liquidV contained in the discharge from said mouthpiece into a divided state sufiicient for the production of a proper re extinguishing foam, and a funnelshaped air-intake tube for enclosing said discharge from the mouthpiece in the divided state for the production of froth jets, said tube being open at both ends and constructed and arranged to be brought'intb and out of an operative position in which the nozzle mouthpiece discharges into said tube.

' 2. A device for selective and controlled varying of the shape, size vand composition .of theA jet thrown from a fire-hose, comprising in combination a nozzle mouthpiece, a water supply for the nozzle mouthpiece, a supply for adding a frothing agent to the water, means for bringing the liquid contained in the discharge froml said mouthpiece vinto a divided state sufficient for the production of a proper fire extinguishing foam,

. and a funnel-shaped air-intake tube for enclos-4 ing saiddischarge from the mouthpiece in. the divided state for the production of froth jets, said tube being open at both ends and detachably mounted on said nozzle mouthpiece so as to be easily brought into and out of its operative posirtion in 'which the nozzle mouthpiece discharges `into said tube for the purpose of producing. froth jets.

3. A device for elective and controlled varying' ,of the shape, size and compositionof the jet td be brought into and out of an operative position in'which the nozzle mouthpiece discharges intol said tube and the said water supply being directly and solely joined to said nozzle mouthpiece so as to be arranged independently of the air-intake tube and tosecure an unencumbered change of positions of-this tube.

4. .f-i device for selective` and controlled varying of the shape, size and composition of the jet thrown from a fire-hose, comprising in combination a nozzle mouthpiece, awater supplyfor the nozzle mouthpiece, a supply for adding a frothing agent 'to-the water, means for bringing the liquid contained in vthe discharge from said mouthpiece into a divided state sufcient for the production of a proper fire extinguishing foam, said means being part of the said nozzle mouthpiece, and a funnel-shaped air-intake tube for thrown from a nre-hose, comprisingin combina-4 tion a nozzle mouthpiece, a water supply for the nozzle mouthpiece, a supply for adding a froth-A ing agent to the water, 'means for bringing the liquid contained in the discharge from said nozzle mouthpiece into a divided state suflicient for the production of la proper fire extinguishing foam,v

said means being part of the later-on-recited airintake tube, and a funnel-shaped air-intake tube for enclosing said dischargefrom the mouthpiece in the divided state` for the production of froth jets, said tube being open at both ends and constructed and arranged to be brought into and out of an operative position in which the nozzle mouthpiecedischarges into said tube.x.

6. A device for selective and controlled varying of the shape, size and composition' of the jet thrown from a fire-hose, comprising in combination a nozzle mouthpiece, a water supply for the nozzle mouthpiece, a supply for adding a irothing agent to the water, a baiiie'for bringing the liquid contained in the ydischarge from said nozzle mouthpiece into a divided state suflicient for the production of a proper fire extinguishing foam, said baille being part of the later-on-recited airintke tube and being so located therein as to result in the Jliquid existing in the vdivided state 'in said tube Iwhen the tube is in operative position, and a funnel-shaped air-intake tube for enclosing said discharge from the mouthpiece in ed and arranged to .be brought into and out of au the divided state for the production of froth jets, said tube being open at both ends and constructoperative position in which the nozzle mouthpiece discharges into said tube.

7. A device for selective and controlled varying of .the shape, size and composition o! the .iet

thrown from a fire-hose,I comprising in combination a nozzle mouthpiece, a funnel-shaped airsintake tube`for the production of froth jets, said f tube being open at both ends and constructed and arranged to be brought into and out of an operative position in which the nozzle mouthpiece discharges into said tube, a water ysupply for the nozzle mouthpiece, a supply fr adding a frothing agent t'o the Water and means whereby" liquid contained in the ,iet can be' brought into a divided state sutlicient for the production of a proper fire extinguishing foam, said means being associated with the said air-intake tube and y comprising a bale of outwardly conical shape centrally mounted in the said tube with its pointed end towards the said nozzle mouthpiece and so distanced yfrom the-latter when the tubeiis in operative position that the jet issuing from the nozzle mouthpiece is broken up by the baille within the said tube.

8. A device for selective and controlled varying of the shape, size and composition of the jet thrown from a fire-hose, comprising in combinaanziano tion a nozzle mouthpiece constructed and arranged so as to be adjustable to produce a finely divided spray', a funnel-shaped'ir-intake tube for the production of froth jets, said tube being open at both ends. and constructed and arranged to be brought into and out of an operative position in which the nozzle mouthpiece discharges into said tube, a water supply for the nozzle mouthpiece and a supply for `adding a fro-thing agent to the water. l

9. A device for selective and controlled varying oi the shape/size and composition of the jet thrown from a fire-hose, comprising in combination a nozzle mouthpiece constructed and arranged so as to be adjustable to produce a finely .divided spray, said nozzle mouthpiece being of supply for the nozzle mouthpiece and a supply for adding a frothing agent to the water.

KONRAD RSENBAUER. 

